Advances in experimental medicine and biology最新文献

Lifelong learning has become essential in modern society, driven by technological advancements and the increasing demand for continuous skill development. E-learning platforms have transformed education by enhancing accessibility, flexibility, and personalization. Artificial intelligence (AI) and data-driven technologies further refine these platforms, enabling adaptive learning, real-time feedback, and predictive analytics to improve engagement and outcomes. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of e-learning, shifting it from a supplementary tool to a primary mode of education.This study examines the impact of e-learning on adult education, focusing on AI-driven personalization and data analytics. In Greece, national and European policies have facilitated digital education, yet challenges such as infrastructure limitations and digital inequalities persist. Additionally, data mining in e-learning environments has the potential to optimize instructional methods and predict learning outcomes. A proposed framework for precision education integrates multimodal data sources, including biometric indicators, to enhance individualized learning experiences.While AI-powered e-learning systems offer transformative opportunities, ethical concerns surrounding data privacy and equitable access must be addressed. Ensuring responsible data management and inclusive policies will be crucial in maintaining the effectiveness of digital education and fostering lifelong learning in an increasingly technology-driven world.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Greek version of Tilburg Pregnancy Distress Scale (TPDS). The study was conducted from August 2021 to November 2022 and included 196 healthy pregnant adult women. The study sample was drawn from two maternity clinics, and included pregnant adult women from the Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the "Aretaieion" University Hospital and the private Obstetrics and Gynecology Center "Woman Clinic," in Athens, Greece. Study participants were asked to fill out the TPDS, to assess pregnancy distress, as well as a demographic questionnaire, the Perceived Stress Scale and the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale 21. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.85 for the Greek TPDS version, 0.870 for the "Negative Affect" factor, and 0.818 for the "Partner Involvement" factor. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value was 0.841 and the significance of Bartlett's test of sphericity was p < 0.001. Exploratory factor analysis displayed two extracted factors with eigenvalue >1. The Greek version of the TPDS can be considered a reliable instrument for measuring pregnancy-related distress in women.

Introduction: Breastfeeding offers numerous benefits for both the mother and child, affecting them physically and psychosocially. Despite these well-documented benefits, breastfeeding rates up to 12 or 24 months remain quite low in developed countries. Parental positive attitudes toward breastfeeding can significantly influence the initiation and continuation of breastfeeding.

Aim: To investigate parents' perspectives and attitudes toward breastfeeding, as well as the relationship between these attitudes and their sociodemographic characteristics/parenting choices.

Methodology: A cross-sectional study that used self-administered questionnaires developed for the purpose of the study and was completed by 862 parents (mothers and fathers) who received support from a private maternity and breastfeeding support center.

Results: Attitudes toward breastfeeding after the first year of the child's life was positively correlated with female gender (p = 0.001), parents' higher educational level (p < 0.001), exclusive breastfeeding (p = 0.000), residence in other than Athens urban area (p = 0.003). Overall breastfeeding experience was positively associated with living in Athens or another urban area (p < 0.001), parents' higher educational level (p = 0.005), and the birth order of this child (p = 0.028). More positive attitudes observed among parents whose child weaned themselves or due to a new pregnancy and among parents whose child was born naturally (p = 0.000). Information and support during breastfeeding and weaning were additional factors that contributed to more positive views (p = 0.000). More positive attitudes were associated with the introduction of whole pieces of food as the first food (p = 0.000), and finally, a positive attitude after the first year and in general was linked to not following a strict sleep schedule during the first year of the child's life and a longer duration of co-sleeping in the same room (p = 0.000).

Conclusions: The study could serve as a basis for more extensive research on breastfeeding and parenting. The findings of this study can be utilized by health professionals to demonstrate greater awareness, empathy, and effectiveness regarding issues of breastfeeding and parenting.

The knowledge and attitudes of nurses caring for patients with diabetes mellitus should be regularly evaluated using reliable and valid instruments to identify any knowledge gaps and address any negative attitudes, allowing for the implementation of targeted skill development. The aim of this study was to test the validity and reliability of the Greek translation of the Diabetes Attitudes Scale (DAS-3) questionnaire. A total of 278 conveniently selected undergraduate nursing students participated in the survey and were administered a questionnaire of sociodemographic and clinical data, the Diabetes Knowledge Test tool and the DAS-3. Factor analysis revealed 4 factors explaining 50% of the variability of the DAS-3; the value of strict glucose control (Cronbach's α = 0.86), the need for special training (Cronbach's α = 0.63), the psychosocial impact of diabetes (Cronbach's α = 0.68), and finally the respect for patient autonomy (Cronbach's α = 0.65). The overall Cronbach's alpha internal consistency coefficient found for the DAS-3 questionnaire was 0.75 indicating good internal reliability. The values of the Pearson correlation coefficients in test-retest assessment varied for the four factors from 0.71 to 0.90 and reflected a moderate to very strong correlation. The good reliability and validity of the DAS-3 contribute to the evaluation of the attitudes of health professionals towards diabetes, becoming a future motivation for improving educational programs.

Precision medicine leverages genomics, metabolomics, and biomedical data sciences to develop targeted treatments based on individual genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. While standardized treatments work for some conditions, many require a personalized approach to improve therapeutic outcomes. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and big data analytics enhances precision medicine by enabling predictive models and individualized treatment plans. A key application of precision medicine is in rare disease diagnosis and treatment, where AI-driven methodologies improve diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic development. Multidisciplinary collaboration among researchers, healthcare professionals, and patient advocacy groups is essential to advancing care and ensuring equitable access to innovative treatments. Despite these advancements, ethical concerns regarding AI in precision medicine remain a challenge. Addressing these issues requires transdisciplinary research involving medical practitioners, ethicists, and data scientists to develop robust validation frameworks and certification methodologies. This paper explores the ethical implications of AI in precision medicine and rare disease treatment, emphasizing the need for responsible algorithm governance. The findings aim to provide a foundation for future research on integrating ethical considerations into AI-driven healthcare, ensuring safe, transparent, and equitable medical innovations.

Parasitoids have an exceptional lifestyle where juvenile development is spent on or in a single host insect, but the adults are free-living. Unlike parasites, parasitoids kill the host. How parasitoids use such a limiting resource, particularly lipids, can affect chances to survive and reproduce. In part 1, we describe the parasitoid lifestyle, including typical developmental strategies. Lipid metabolism in parasitoids has been of interest to researchers since the 1960s and continues to fascinate ecologists, evolutionists, physiologists, and entomologists alike. One reason of this interest is that the majority of parasitoids do not accumulate triacylglycerols as adults. Early research revealed that some parasitoid larvae mimic the fatty acid composition of the host, which may result from a lack of de novo triacylglycerol synthesis. More recent work has focused on the evolution of lack of adult triacylglycerol accumulation and consequences for life history traits. In part 2 of this chapter, we discuss research efforts on lipid metabolism in parasitoids from the 1960s onwards. Parasitoids are also master manipulators of host physiology, including lipid metabolism, having evolved a range of mechanisms to affect the release, synthesis, transport, and take-up of lipids from the host. We lay out the effects of parasitism on host physiology in part 3 of this chapter.

Posttransplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy) represents a paradigm shift in the prevention of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). As a high-dose, posttransplant immunomodulatory agent, PTCy offers a unique mechanism to facilitate graft tolerance, mitigate GVHD, and preserve graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effects. The beneficial effects of PTCy on GVHD appears to be independent of donor type, graft source, or conditioning regimen intensity. This chapter provides an in-depth analysis of the mechanisms underlying PTCy and its clinical applications in haploidentical, HLA-matched, and -mismatched HSCT, highlighting its transformative impact in transplantation medicine. PTCy is emerging as a new standard GVHD prophylaxis for all HSCT settings.

We aimed to determine the changes in mean arterial pressure (MAP) due to uncontrolled orthostatic hypotension and the oxygenated hemoglobin(O₂Hb), deoxygenated hemoglobin (HHb), and total hemoglobin (THb) changes in a young male participant. The participant (23 y.o. male, no medication) stood in a quiet room before the main experiment. Changes in O₂Hb, HHb, and THb levels were detected using NIRS optodes comprising 12 light sources and 12 detectors, providing 24-channel simultaneous recording. A 30-mm inter-optode distance was set for measuring cortical tissue hemodynamics. The Cz position of the international 10-20 system was used to ensure consistent optode placement. The regions of interest were the right (R-) and left (L-) prefrontal cortex (PFC), supplementary motor area (SMA), and sensorimotor cortex (SMC). We also measured MAP and skin blood flow (SBF) from the forehead and hemodynamic changes in the left vastus lateralis (VL) muscle. The participant stood for 600 s, including baseline measurements. The MAP decreased rapidly at approximately 500 s. A decrease was noted in the O₂Hb and THb of the SMA from 420 s and L- and R-PFC from 450 s, but was more pronounced after 500 s. The HHb signal showed a change opposite to that of O₂Hb and THb. The SBF decreased momentarily at approximately 500 s but increased immediately after and did not recover until the end of the measurement at 540 s. The O₂Hb and THb of the VL increased from 500 to 540 s. NIRS may detect uncontrolled orthostatic hypotension before a decrease in the MAP.

Background: The most common genetic cause associated with thrombophilia is Leiden mutation (G1691A) of the coagulation factor V (FV) (F5) gene.

Materials and methods: Data collected anonymously from 355 unrelated Greeks examined for the above mutation were analyzed. Bioinformatic investigation was conducted for factor V, including phylogenetic analysis, genetic network analysis, and 3D modelling of wild-type and Leiden protein.

Results: Analysis confirmed the importance of F5 Leiden in thrombosis and the significance of a positive family history of thrombosis. In silico analysis of the F5 Leiden revealed a linkage between mammalian species and a potential functional interaction of F5 with 25 other genes, several of which have been associated with cardiovascular diseases. 3D modelling revealed that the Leiden mutation confers an H-bond network alteration in the functional region of FV, resulting in a hypercoagulable state.

Conclusions: This study highlighted the great value of a positive family history of thrombosis and the importance of testing for this common mutation as a prevention strategy component for thrombophilia, including thrombotic brain aneurysms. Bioinformatic analysis indicated the importance of the Leiden mutation in protein structure and function. The findings of this study increase understanding of molecular and clinical features of thrombophilia and may eventually lead to better prevention of thrombosis.